Gary Neville has spoken out over his annoyance at Anthony Martial’s fluctuating form for Manchester United, suggesting that the winger’s low work ethic is preventing him from becoming an elite player.

The Frenchman has now scored in three successive Premier League matches for Jose Mourinho’s side, and his manager claimed after Sunday’s 2-1 win over Everton that the former Monaco youngster has improved ‘everything’ about his game.

Team-mate Nemanja Matic has suggested Martial ‘doesn’t understand’ his own potential , but Neville has highlighted his unwillingness to run as a serious issue.

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Speaking on Sky Sports he said: “There’s never been a player over the last ten years at Manchester United that I have been confused by as much [as Martial]. I cannot make my mind up.

“Sometimes I think he is brilliant and other weeks I think that I am not sure he is a Manchester United player.

“What drives me crazy about him is his off-the-ball work. He doesn’t know where to be and where to run at the right times.”

Comparing Martial to wingers at some of United’s closest rivals, Neville argued that the 22-year-old must put in the hard yards to become a world-class player.

“He’s either a five or a nine and what you want is a seven or eight with the odd nine.

“I looked at the physical stats of Martial and the other players like Mane and Salah and again, I got the shock of my life. I thought that’s why Deschamps, Mourinho and others don’t fancy you.

“Look at the players in and around him. Mane runs almost 2km more. Hazard – who gets accused of not working hard – runs 1.5km more than Martial. Martial is well down on his physical stuff.

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“This is not about defensive work but about making those runs.”

Martial has been at the centre of increased speculation over his future at United recently after it was reported that he had rejected a contract extension to keep him at Old Trafford beyond the expiration of his current deal next summer.

He scored 17 goals in his first season with United after arriving in 2015, but has struggled to hold down a regular place in the starting line-up since Mourinho took the helm from Louis van Gaal two years ago.